Kapha Dosha
Kapha dosha at its best is relaxed and as a result is an important dosha or bioenergy for highly sensitive people to cultivate and balance to support and help stabilize the sensitive HSP nature.
Every single person has each of the three doshas in different combinations to one another creating the unique makeup of each individual. This understanding demonstrates how we are alike in that we each have all three doshas, and yet we are all different because each person has a slightly different dosha signature.
Each of the doshas has a primary vital function that serves the entire human system and each dosha also has five subdoshas that reflect the role of the dosha for various parts of the body and spirit. It is important to note that health and spirit are not separate; they are interdependent. A person in a spirit damaging situation over a period of time will suffer health effects. A person who has ill will have difficulty maintaining a healthy life-affirming spirit. Healing one heals the other.
The Importance of Kapha Dosha
Kapha dosha is all about the structure and tissues of the body. It has a steady, relaxed quality and is the least flappable of the doshas. Kapha is oriented toward stability. Vata and Kapha have opposite attitudes about activity: Vata is excitable and Kapha takes most things in stride. Kapha is a slow dosha which means that it is slow to process information and make decisions. Many highly sensitive people are also slower in their approach to information because they develop the habit of conscientiousness to offset the overstimulation and overload that they are subject to. A slower conscientious approach is very Kapha. HSPs can cultivate the steady, inner security of Kapha to make life including relationships work for them.
Ayurveda understands life to require four requisite dimensions that occur together in space and time: physical body, mind, five senses and consciousness.
Scott Gerson, MD, The Ayurvedic Guide to Diet and Weight Loss, p. 15
Kapha Dosha: Kapha Subdoshas and Their Importance
Kapha Dosha has five subdoshas. They are:
- Kledaka. Kledaka Kapha is located in the stomach. Kapha is a moist dosha and structural, and its role here is to keep the lining of the stomach moist.
- Avalambaka. Avalambaka Kapha is located in the heart, chest and lower back. This subdosha is responsible for strength. It is commonly referred to as the core, as in strengthening one’s core.
- Bhodaka. Bhodaka Kapha is located in the tongue and governs salivation and taste. Taste is an important consideration in Ayurveda for determining foods that are supportive of one’s physiological balance. This subdosha governs the ability to distinguish the Ayurvedic tastes.
- Tarpaka. Tarpaka Kapha is located in the brain and spinal column. ts function is related to the creation and protection of the brain and nervous system. As a result, it promotes healthy mental and nerve function, important for HSPs.
- Shleshaka. Shleshaka Kapha is located in the joints and is responsible for lubricating the joints.
The Predominantly Kapha Dosha Person
People with a predominant Kapha dosha tend to be heavy set and are very strong physically. Contrary to popular myth, Kapha people are often very healthy and can handle a substantial amount of physical labor. Of all the doshas they can handle the most physical exertion. Kaphas benefit from strong physical work because it keeps them from a sluggish, sedentary way of life which can lead to obesity.
Kapha dosha is the dosha where some intractable problems can occur. It is the dosha of obesity as well as deep depression, both illnesses that can occur in highly sensitive people. Kapha is a moist dosha and as a result often suffers from congestion and respiratory diseases when out of balance. It is the dosha of diabetes as well.
Kapha has some important contributions to make to HSP health. It is worth protecting and enhancing this important dosha to create a more stable and satisfying life for highly sensitive people.
